SAM Mitchell has finished atop Hawthorn’s list of vote getters in the AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player of the Year award.
Mitchell polled a total of 68 votes across the home-and-away season – 19 votes clear of the second-placed Jordan Lewis who collected 49 votes for the year.
Surprisingly, Mitchell polled just one perfect 10 score, which came in Hawthorn’s win against the Gold Coast Suns in Round 14 when he collected 35 disposals and eight clearances.
Lewis also collected a perfect 10 in his 250th AFL game against Brisbane in Round 10 when he amassed 42 disposals, nine clearances and a goal.
Cyril Rioli (38), Isaac Smith (35) and Josh Gibson (31) also polled well throughout the season, while Jack Gunston (25) was the only other Hawk to poll more than 20 votes.
Smith was the only other Hawk to poll a perfect 10 from the coaches, which came against North Melbourne in Round 21 where he collected 33 disposals, 11 marks, seven tackles and six inside 50s in a 39-point win.
Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield blitzed the field to claim the 2016 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award with a record 121 votes to his name, finishing 28 votes ahead of his former Adelaide Crows team mate Rory Sloane who finished with 93 votes.
Hawthorn AFLCA Champion Player of the Year votes
Sam Mitchell 68
Jordan Lewis 49
Cyril Rioli 38
Isaac Smith 35
Josh Gibson 31
Jack Gunston 25
Ben Stratton 16
Paul Puopolo 15
Shaun Burgoyne 15
Grant Birchall 13
Bradley Hill 12
James Sicily 10
Luke Hodge 9
Luke Breust 9
James Frawley 5
Billy Hartung 4
Liam Shiels 4
Ben McEvoy 1
AFLCA Champion Player of the Year top 10
1. Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong) 121
2. Rory Sloane (Adelaide) 93
3. Dustin Martin (Richmond) 90
4. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) 88
5. Luke Parker (Sydney Swans) 86
5. Joel Selwood (Geelong) 86
7. Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans) 83
8. Luke Shuey (West Coast) 82
9. Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide) 77
10. Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans) 69
10. Josh Kennedy (West Coast) 69
